Old Testament Books
The Old Testament has 39 books total, which consist of...
Pentateuch - 5 booksGenesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy
Historical Books - 12 books
Joshua, Judges, Ruth, First Samuel, Second Samuel, First Kings, Second Kings,
First Chronicles, Second Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther.
Poetic books- 5 books
Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon
Prophetic books- 17 books
Major Prophets - Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel
Minor Prophets - Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk,
Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi.
A list of books with brief descriptions of contents.
Pentateuch - 5 books
- Genesis - Creation, the Fall, the Flood, spread of the nations, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. Enslavement in Egypt.
- Exodus - Enslavement, Moses, 10 plagues, Passover, Leave Egypt, Red Sea Crossing, Mt. Sinai and the 10 Commandments
- Leviticus - Instructions on sacrificial system and the priesthood. Instructions on moral purity.
- Numbers - Still at Mt. Sinai, people make false idol, punishment, 40 years wandering begins.
- Deuteronomy - Moses' discourses on God's Acts for Israel the Decalogue, the ceremonial, civil, and social Laws, and covenant ratification.
Historical Books - 12 books total
- Joshua - First half of Joshua describes the 7-year conquest of the Land of Promise. The last half deals with partitioning the lands to the people.
- Judges - Time of Judges. This was a bad time period. The Israelites did not drive out all the inhabitants of Canaan and began to take part in their idolatry. 7 cycles of foreign oppression, repentance, and deliverance. In the end, the people failed to learn their lesson.
- Ruth - Kinsman redeemer in Boaz, redeeming Ruth, a Moabitess. Speaks of righteousness, love, and faithfulness to the Lord.
The next 6 books trace the time from Samuel to the Captivity
- First Samuel - Samuel carries Israel from judges to King Saul
- Second Samuel - David as King, adultery, and murder.
- First Kings - Solomon, Israel is powerful. Solomon dies, then division of tribes: 10 to the north and 2 to the south.
- Second Kings - The Divided Kingdom. All 19 kings of Israel were bad; therefore, captivity in Assyria (722 B.C.). In Judah, 8 of 20 rulers were good but went into exile too.
- First Chronicles - A recounting of the history of Israel to the time of Solomon.
- Second Chronicles - continued recounting of the life of Solomon, building of temple, to the captivity. History of Judah only.
The Next 3 books deal with Israel's Restoration.
- Ezra - Cyrus let most of the Jews return to their land of Israel. Zerubbabel led the people (539 B.C.). Ezra returned later with more Jews (458 B.C.) Built the temple.
- Nehemiah - Building the walls of Jerusalem. Nehemiah got permission from the king of Persia to rebuild the walls (444 B.C.). Revival in the land.
- Esther - Took place during chapters 6 and 7 of Ezra. Mordecai. Plot to kill the Jewish people.
Poetical - 5 books
- Job - a righteous man tested by God. Deals with God's sovereignty.
- Psalms - Consists of 5 divisions. Worship in song. Large variety of subjects
- Proverbs - Practical wisdom in everyday affairs.
- Ecclesiastes - All is vanity. The wisdom of man is futility.
- Song of Solomon - A song between Solomon and his Shulammite bride, displaying the love between a man and a woman.
Prophetical - 17 books
Major Prophets - 5 books
- Isaiah - Looks at the sin of Judah and proclaims God's judgment. Hezekiah. Coming restoration and blessing.
- Jeremiah - Called by God to proclaim the news of judgment to Judah, which came. God establishes a New Covenant.
- Lamentations - 5 lament poems. Description of defeat and fall of Jerusalem.
- Ezekiel - He ministered to the Jews in Captivity in Babylon. Description of the end of times.
- Daniel - Many visions of the future for the Gentiles and the Jews.
Minor Prophets - 12 books
- Hosea - Story of Hosea and his unfaithful wife, Gomer. Represents God's love and faithfulness and Israel's spiritual adultery. Israel will be judged and restored.
- Joel - Proclaims a terrifying future using the imagery of locusts. Judgment will come but blessing will follow.
- Amos - He warned Israel of its coming judgment. Israel rejects God's warning.
- Obadiah - A proclamation against Edom, a neighboring nation of Israel that gloated over Jerusalem's judgments. Prophecy of its utter destruction.
- Jonah - Jonah proclaims a coming judgment upon Nineveh's people. But they repented and judgment was spared.
- Micah - Description of the complete moral decay in all levels of Israel. God will judge but will forgive and restore.
- Nahum - Nineveh has gone into apostasy (approx. 125 years after Jonah) and will be destroyed.
- Habakkuk - Near the end of the kingdom of Judah, Habakkuk asks God why He is not dealing with Judah's sins. God says He will use the Babylonians. Habakkuk asks how God can use a nation that is even worse than Judah.
- Zephaniah - The theme is developed of the Day of the Lord and His judgment with a coming blessing. Judah will not repent, except for a remnant, which will be restored.
- Haggai - The people failed to put God first, by building their houses before they finished God's temple. Therefore, they had no prosperity.
- Zechariah - Zechariah encourages the Jews to complete the temple. Many messianic prophecies.
- Malachi. - God's people are lax in their duty to God. Growing distant from God. Moral compromise. Proclamation of coming judgment.
New Testament Books
The New Testament has 27 books total, which consist of...
- Historical Books - Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts
- Pauline Epistles - Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon
- Non-Pauline Epistles - Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude, Revelation
Historical Books
- Matthew - Presents Jesus as the Messiah. Genealogy of Jesus through Joseph. Fulfillment of O.T. prophecy.
- Mark - Presents Jesus as the Servant. 1/3 of the gospel deals with the last week of His life.
- Luke - Presents Jesus as the Son of Man to seek and save the lost. Genealogy of Jesus through Mary. Largest of the gospels.
- John - Presents Jesus as God in flesh, the Christ, so that you might believe.
- Acts - Historical account from Jesus’ ascension to travels of Paul in his missionary journeys.
Pauline Epistles
- Romans - A systematic examination of justification, sanctification, and glorification. Examines God’s plan for the Jews and the Gentiles.
- 1 Corinthians - This letter deals with factions and corrections due to immorality, lawsuits, and abuse of the Lord’s Supper. Also mentions idols, marriage, and the resurrection.
- 2 Corinthians - Paul’s defense of his apostolic position.
- Galatians - Paul refutes the errors of legalism and examines the proper place of grace in the Christian’s life.
- Ephesians - The believer’s position in Christ and information on Spiritual warfare.
- Philippians - Paul speaks of his imprisonment and his love for the Philippians. He exhorts them to godliness and warns them of legalism.
- Colossians - Paul focuses on the preeminence of Jesus in creation, redemption, and godliness.
- 1 Thessalonians - Paul’s ministry to the Thessalonians. Teachings on purity and mention of the return of Christ.
- 2 Thessalonians - Corrections on the Day of the Lord.
- 1 Timothy - Instructions to Timothy on proper leadership and dealings with false teachers, the role of women, prayer, and requirements of elders and deacons.
- 2 Timothy - A letter of encouragement to Timothy to be strong.
- Titus - Paul left Titus in Crete to care for the churches there. Requirements for elders.
- Philemon - a letter to the owner of a runaway slave. Paul appeals to Philemon to forgive Onesimus.
Non Pauline Epistles
- Hebrews - A letter to the Hebrew Christians in danger of returning to Judaism. It demonstrates the superiority of Jesus over the O.T. system. Mentions the Melchizedek priesthood. (Hebrews may be of Pauline origin. There is much debate on its authorship).
- James - a practical exhortation of believers to live a Christian life evidencing regeneration. It urges self-examination of the evidence of the changed life.
- 1 Peter - Peter wrote this letter to encourage its recipients in the light of their suffering and be humble in it. Mentions baptism.
- 2 Peter - Deals with the person on an inward level, warnings against false teachers, and mentions the Day of the Lord.
- 1 John - John describes true fellowship of the believers with other believers and with God. Describes God as light and love. Encourages a holy Christian walk before the Lord. Much mention of Christian love.
- 2 John - Praise for walking in Christ and a reminder to walk in God’s love.
- 3 John - John thanks Gaius for his kindness to God’s people and rebukes Diotrephes.
- Jude - Exposing false teachers and uses O.T. allusions to demonstrate the judgment upon them. Contends for the faith.
- Revelation - A highly symbolic vision of the future rebellion, judgment, and consummation of all things.
http://carm.org/old-testament-books
http://carm.org/new-testament-books
